Family Law – Divorce Petition – Territorial Jurisdiction – Section 19 of the Hindu Marriage Act – The wife objected to the jurisdiction of the Family Court, Cuttack, stating that the couple last resided together in June 2017, whereas the husband filed for divorce in February 2019 when he was no longer residing in Cuttack – Held: The plea of lack of jurisdiction must b...
Civil – Writ - Religious Institutions – Police Interference – Mandamus Issued – Departmental Inquiry Ordered – Police Directed Not to Interfere in Religious Disputes – The Uttaradi Mutt filed a writ petition alleging that the police coerced them to hand over the keys of Sri Narahariteertha Swamy Brundavana to Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt – The petitioner cit...
Labour Law - Compassionate Employment – Entitlement under NCWA – Respondent No. 5 (widow of the deceased employee) sought employment under Clause 9.3.2 of the NCWA-VI and VII, which provides for employment to a dependent of a worker who dies while in service – Employer contended that the employee was terminated after unauthorized absence before his death – Held: Since the e...
Civil Law - Provident Fund – Levy of Damages for Delayed Remittance – Whether Mandatory – The Tribunal set aside damages under Section 14B citing lack of willful default—Held: Mens rea is not required for imposing damages under Section 14B—Authority must consider aggravating and mitigating factors but cannot mechanically waive damages—Tribunal’s order set ...
Industrial Disputes – Reinstatement vs. Lump Sum Compensation – Unfair Labour Practices – The petitioner, a government-aided private college, challenged the Labour Court's order of reinstatement with 50% back wages – Respondents (workmen) were retrenched in 2006 after completing 240 days but were appointed on ad hoc basis without approval from the competent authority &n...
Service Law - Compulsory Retirement – Scope of Judicial Review – The petitioner challenged his compulsory retirement on grounds of procedural irregularities and alleged bias—Held: Judicial review in matters of compulsory retirement is limited to checking arbitrariness or mala fides—Employer’s subjective satisfaction cannot be substituted unless it is unreasonable or p...
Civil Writ - Government's Power to Take Over Water Bodies – Compliance with Natural Justice Required – No Proof of Private Ownership - The petitioner contended that the impugned order under Section 17A of the West Bengal Inland Fisheries Act was passed without due notice and without verifying whether the property was indeed a water body – The respondent-KMC argued that the la...
Compassionate Appointment – Applicability of Rules at the Time of Death – Retrospective Effect Not Permissible – Claim Rejected - petitioners sought compassionate appointment for petitioner no. 2 under the Orissa Civil Services (Rehabilitation Assistance) Rules, 1990, after the death of the government employee – The opposite party rejected the application on the grounds tha...
Medical Termination of Pregnancy – Rape Survivor – Judicial Review – Right to Life – Permission Granted – A 13-year-old minor, a victim of sexual assault, was diagnosed with a pregnancy beyond the permissible 24-week limit under the MTP Act – The petitioner (father of the minor) sought permission for termination, citing the grave risk to the child’s life d...
Civil Writ - War Hero Benefits – Eligibility for Employment under Policy Dated 19.08.1999 – Rejection Based on Mode of Discharge – Arbitrary Action by State – Petitioner No.1, an Indian Army soldier injured in an IED blast during Operation Rakshak, was discharged in a low medical category upon completion of service tenure – State denied benefits to Petitioner No.2 (hi...